News
School midday meal programme halted in most provinces
By Saman Indrajith
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha admitted in Parliament yesterday that the provision of midday meals to schoolchildren had come to a halt in all provinces, except in the Western Province for want of funds.
Responding to a question raised by JVP-led NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Minister said that there had emerged a crisis with regard to providing midday meals to schoolchildren in many provinces. “In the Southern Province, payments have not been made to the suppliers, since February. A sum of Rs 16 million had been allocated for the provincial councils from the Budget, for the purpose. The due payments, as at February, were Rs 61 million. All arrears up to the end of 2021 were paid. The financial requirements for all the provinces, as at the end of February were Rs 87.5 million. We intend to settle these dues using the World Bank aid funds. Thereafter the programme of providing midday meals to children can resume,” the Minister said.
The Minister said that the World Bank funds would be made use of to pay Rs 87.5 million to the food suppliers for their supplies.
Members of the Civil Security Department have donated a day’s salary to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by cyclone Ditwah.
Accordingly, a cheque amounting to Rs. 40,870,686 was handed over on Thursday (22) at the Presidential Secretariat by the District Officer of the Civil Security Department G.Y.B. Perera to Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne and Director General of the Civil Security Department, Major General Palitha Fernando (Retired), were also present on the occasion.
The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.
The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.
News
Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56
Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.
He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.
Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.
He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.
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